Laboratory consolidation tests plus analysis of field conditions indicated by subsurface explorations are useful in estimating the amount and rate of settlement of embankments or bridges to be expected due to an increase in applied load. However, correlation of such analysis with recorded field displacements is needed, particularly in evaluating boundary drainage conditions for primary consolidation and in evaluating secondary time-consolidation effects which are independent of boundary drainage conditions. This paper presents observed settlements at four different sites along the Potomac River near Washington, D. C., as shown in Fig. 1, and their correlation with laboratory test results and analysis. Field data were obtained from various branches of the Bureau of Public Roads and the District of Columbia Government. Consolidation tests were made on undisturbed samples taken from each soil layer by the suggested method of test for consolidation of soil given in (1). Illustrative consolidation test results are given in Table I and the physical properties of the several soils over which settlements were observed are shown in Table II. Using the data from the consolidation tests the coefficients of compressibility and consolidation for the loads appropriate to each problem were calculated by the methods shown in Fig. 2(a) and 2(b).